W. Garfield Weston Foundation Helps Students Become Ecosystem Investigators

Parks Canada Community Bulletin

Waterton Lakes International Park
Chris Davis photo

The W. Garfield Weston Foundation is helping to fund a project that will strengthen connections with youth to Waterton Lakes National Park. The grant, totalling $462,790, will support the Ecosystem Investigator camp for three years. Specifically, it will fund transportation, accommodation and meals for the camp participants.
This innovative 3-day outdoor education camp brings grade 5 students from regional schools to the park to enjoy nature and learn about the ecological importance of whitebark pine and prairie fescue ecosystems.

This is a particularly wonderful gift from the W. Garfield Weston Foundation during Parks Canada’s centennial year. The funding agreement was formally announced on September 22nd by Tracy Thiessen, Executive Director of Mountain Parks and Mrs. Camilla Dalglish, Director, W. Garfield Weston Foundation.
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation is a private Canadian family foundation, established in the 1950’s by Willard Garfield Weston and his wife Reta. In 1924 Garfield inherited his father’s company and during his life established baking and retail businesses throughout Canada and in many parts of the world. The founders believed that as the funds are generated through the hard work and success of his Canadian companies, grants should be given in Canada for the benefit of Canadians. For three generations, The W. Garfield Weston Foundation has maintained a family tradition of supporting leading organizations across Canada. Today the Foundation directs the majority of its funds to projects in the fields of land conservation, education, and scientific research in Canada’s North.
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation is the private foundation that created the Waterton Front Project and Weston Family Conservation Centre through the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The project was one of Canada’s largest private conservation efforts.